It all depends on what you're looking for. I gave three stars as my most honest assessment, but I…read morewanted to give five for the oh-so-perky owner and the amazing breakfast she provides! Reality hits hard, though. If you want to stay in a historical inn with a knowledgeable, on-site staff who can tell you all the historical details ("hand-laid tile," "Art Linkletter and Bette Midler stayed here!") ~ if you want content for stories to tell your friends or perhaps include in your novel ~ if you delight in sharing a leisurely well-prepared tasty breakfast served on china with your fellow guests, then this is your place! If you want modern, efficient, spotless, do not stay here.
We arrived to an empty desk and an empty adjoining ice cream/fudge shop. A phone call brought the owner downstairs from the third floor, where she was working. No elevators. Very old and grand stairs, bedecked with unfortunate artificial garland and more unfortunate 1980s stenciling on the antiquated (beautiful without stenciling) walls. We were greeted and given the details for our stay (parking, "social hour," breakfast.) The amenities package includes breakfast (so worth it!), access to the social parlor (can be skipped) and the "social hour" (canned Coke products and ice set out).
Now, to the rooms. The online pictures tell no lies ~ just don't let your romantic heart interpret those pictures! Yes, those bedspreads DO look like they came off of your grandmother's bed. In 1920. The stack of towels in the bathroom in the homey dark brown color? Methinks perhaps the top ones get laundered? The bottom of the stack may be clean, but I don't think they were laundered recently. The staff make it clear on check-in that they will rectify any issues immediately, but I didn't have the heart to ask them to come up, move the beds, dust the back of them, and vacuum between the beds and the wall (a chore perhaps last performed for Art Linkletter's visit?)
I believe the innkeeper/owner's greatest joy is serving her guests as they sit together at breakfast and converse. She truly shines here. Her food is served at the appropriate temperatures, and everything is delicious. The cheese grits are tasty, but not as rhapsodic as the Southern Living article indicated. This experience doesn't really happen anymore, and the experience alone is worth all of the things. Eight (on our morning) guests discussing what brought them to the area, what their lives are like, what they're excited about and concerned about ~ all while hot coffee is being poured and fruit being exchanged for biscuits and bacon and sausage. Good morning indeed! In this day when things move fast and people find themselves on opposite sides of so many things, this quiet breakfast in this quiet town with people alike and different was a bit of bliss.
So this was a difficult review to write ~ accommodations? Not as clean as I'd like, a communal living room (home of social hour) that could use a thorough cleaning out (depression glass, tchotchkes galore), in need of refurbishment and a very strong vacuum. Open windows might help a slightly musty smell, if that's possible with windows that may be painted shut. But the experience ~ you have to stay here to believe it! If you're in the area (pretty big if ~ population of the town is around 465 in the 2020 census) and you're up for an experience as opposed to convenient, modern, cookie cutter hotel stay, check this place out! Don't miss the breakfast!
